Leicester City co-owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha has insisted that Arsenal target Riyad Mahrez is not for sale this summer in a clear Instagram post.
The reigning PFA Player of the Year has been linked with a move to north London this summer, despite helping the Foxes to the Premier League title last year.
As Claudio Ranieri prepares his men to defend their crown as well as feature in the Champions League, he has seen his star winger distracted by transfer talk, as reported by ESPN FC.
Having already lost N’Golo Kante to Chelsea this summer, the Italian tactician will be desperate to avoid losing any more key figures from their success last season, and it appears as though Srivaddhanaprabha is ready to step in and ensure it doesn’t happen.
Mahrez scored 17 goals and provided 10 assists in 37 Premier League appearances last season, and the co-owner seemingly understands the importance of keeping him at the King Power Stadium this year.
In turn, he posted an image of the pair on Instagram, as seen below, with a caption stating: “VS: You not for sale!! Mahrez: OK boss.”
Whether it’s enough to deter Arsenal from continuing their interest is unlikely, and ultimately it will be an anxious few weeks for the Foxes before the transfer deadline passes.
Jamie Vardy has already handed them a boost by snubbing interest from elsewhere to pen a new deal this summer, with the likes of Andy King and Ben Chilwell following suit.
The futures of Mahrez, Kasper Schmeichel and Danny Drinkwater amongst others remain on the agenda for Leicester, while Ranieri will also hope that new signings such as Ahmed Musa and Bartosz Kapustka can make a real impact too.
